Better Days: A BTL Side Story
by Invader-Hime
Summary: AU Set Post Beneath The Layers A childhood wish comes true in unexpected ways...KevinXGwen fluff.


BTL: Better Days

By Chibi Hime

AN: This has been up on DA for awhile, but I thought I would put it up here...as you can never have enough KevinXGwen Fluff. Thanks to Cute in Purple for inadvertantly reminding me I never posted this here. Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network..the BTL verse (c) me.

"Okay, now when I say go, you pull the cracker open," Alma instructed. The little girl's eyes lit up at the prospect of holiday joy.

Kevin looked at her uncertainly.

"Then what?" he asked.

"If it has a gold charm in it, it means you can make a wish!" Alma smiled.

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked.

"It is a New Year's tradition! When I was back home, we did it all the time. Your parents were having a party and they left a lot of these around. No one will notice f one is missing. Oh, don't worry, if there isn't a gold charm, there's always ," Alma said with a wink.

Kevin bit his lower lip. For being so quiet and girly, Alma certainly would surprise him on occasion. She had just made off with a probably expensive party favor.

"Fine. I'll pull the stupid cracker," he grumbled.

It didn't take a lot of effort to pull the tiny paper and a loud _clink_ was heard as something gold and shiny clattered to the floor with an assortment of confetti.

"You got it!" Alma chirped.

Kevin picked up the small trinket and turned it over in his lower, more dexterous hands. It was the small, undoubtedly gold plated figure of a heavy set man.

"A sumo charm?" he asked somewhat disappointed.

"A GOLDEN sumo charm," Alma nodded, "now make your wish...but don't tell me what it is or it won't come true. If you make a wish, then put it under your pillow, your wish will be granted,"

Kevin swallowed.

It was stupid. There is no way that actually worked. Still...it wouldn't hurt anything...and she had gone through some trouble to procure the little thing.

"Okay," he said uneasily.

Several Years Later...

"Kevin? Kevin I can't fid what you're describing. You put your sunglasses where? Gwen called from Kevin's room to her fiance down the hall.

"The table!" came the frustrated answer.

Kevin was a terrible traveler. He was easily rattled by tiny annoyances and she really could see why. He'd never been on a trip before, at least not one for any length of time and he was utterly overcome by the thought of leaving certain things behind or forgetting them. He was currently attempting to close a trunk in the other room. Gwen frowned and looked up. She had never noticed how his bead didn't actually touch the wall. His glasses weren't on his bedside table, but maybe they had fallen between the bed and the wall.

"Hold on!" she called, "I might have found something,"

She stuck her arm down the crack and pulled what she found out. A well used pillow with the peculiar lingering scent of lavender and cinnamon was the first thing she pulled up. Shrugging, she tossed it aside and reached down again. Her fingers brushed against what she knew were Kevin's sunglasses, as well as something cold and metallic. With her slender fingers, she picked up both and pulled them out of the darkness.

The tiny metallic item turned out to be a small golden figure. Gwen turned it over in her hand. It was one of those old new years wishing figures. She remembered them from when she was a little girl.

Kevin came in, red faced and anxious. Gwen knew that face. It meant he couldn't do what he was trying to and had separated himself from the situation. His eyes caught the glint of metal in her hands.

Gwen turned and held up the little figure.

"So tell me, did your wish come true?" she asked.

Kevin looked blind sided by the question.

"What?" he asked.

" This guy. It means you made a New Year's wish. Did it come true?" she asked light heartedly.

Kevin's face turned sullen and Gwen wondered if she'd said something wrong without meaning to.

"I'm sorry if I brought up something that bothers you. I didn't mean-" she tried to cover her mistake up.

"No. No, you didn't do anything wrong," he said, sounding slightly distanced. He took the tiny thing out of her and and held it up to the light.

"Better days," he whispered to himself.

Gwen blinked.

"What?" she asked.

An impish smile crossed Kevin's face.

"My dear Gwendolyn. It has recently come to my attention that, yes, indeed my childish wish has been granted...albeit very unexpectedly," he wrapped an arm around her.

"To this end, I propose we place this small fellow in a place of esteem," he smiled again and moved his eyebrows up and down. Gwen giggled and nodded.

"It seems only proper," she said in the same mock serious tone.

Shortly...

Kevin placed the small figure atop a large pile of jewels in the royal treasury.

"What did you wish for? If it came true, you don't have to worry about it not coming true anymore," Gwen said.

Kevin looked at the floor for a moment before answering.

"Better days," he said simply.

"Better days?" Gwen asked.

"Well, it was a long time ago...before...before you came. You know. I didn't ask for anything too specific, like I needed more disappointment at the time. So, I just wished for better days. It seemed reasonable...and general,"

"That's pretty general," Gwen agreed.

"But...I've had a lot of better days. Especially lately," he added with raised eyebrows.

"That's swee-" Gwen started to say, but was cut off by Kevin quickly placing a kiss on her lips.

"I just made today a better day. Look at that," he chirped playfully.

Gwen felt an impish grin creep onto her face. She promptly jumped up and looped her arms around his neck. She kissed him back.

"So did I!" she said triumphantly.

"Touche," Kevin agreed.

"Let's make it better together," Gwen suggested playfully.

Kevin's face turned positively devilish at her suggestion.

"On three," he said.

"One," Gwen said.

"Two," Kevin said.

"Three!" they shouted at once.

Their lips met at the same time and their tongues roved over each other.

The shiny surface of the golden charm reflected their display of mutual affection.

End.


End file.
